DENVER — To summon a recent reliever, Cubs manager Joe Maddon didn’t even need to signal his bullpen. He just pointed toward his first baseman.
Now pitching: Anthony Rizzo.
That’s no sort of curveball, either.
In an increasing trend this season, position players are making more appearances on the mound to save wear and tear on the bullpen in games that have spiraled out of hand or as a last resort.
Through Thursday, there have been 49 appearances by 39 non-pitchers (not counting two-way player Shohei Ohtani). Both figures are major-league highs for the expansion era starting in 1961, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.